Golf-ball.



Nu. 7o|,765. Patented lune 3, |902.

F. H. RICHARDS; GOLF BALL.

(Application led Har. 24, 1902A UNITED j STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS H'. RICHARDS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE KEMPSHALL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

GoLFfBALL.

SPECIFICATION fofmhingvpart of Letters Patent No.. 701,765, dated June 3, 1902.

Y 5 Application filed March 24, 19'02. l Serial No.' 99,621. (No model.)

To all whom, it matr/concave- Beit known that I, FRANCIS H. RICHARDS@ citizen of the United States, residing in Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Golf-Balls, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates `to playing-balls, and especially to those used'in the game of golf; and its obj ect is to improve the structure and increase'the durability of the ball.-

In the drawings forming part of 'this speciiication, Figure l illustrates an unexpanded soft-rubber shell. Fig. 2 shows a compound layer of Celluloid andl fabric applied to said shell. Fig. 3 shows a fabric and celluloid layer applied to the Fig. 2l device. Fig. 4 shows the addition of still another layer of fabric and celluloid. Figs.j5 and 6 illustrate later stages in the production of the ball. Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional fragment, illustrating the construction of the ball. Fig. 8 shows a ball completed and partly broken away. Y

In the several views similar parts are indicated by similar characters of reference.

In forming a core for the ballI employ a shell 1 of soft rubber, having a perforation 2 and a vent 2. 3 designates the outer surface, and 4 the inner surface or cavity, of said shell. Upon said shell I apply a layer or shell 5, come pounded of Celluloid and fabric. layer I apply a second fabric-lined Celluloid, layer or shell 5. Preferably I also use a third similarly-compounded layer 5". Each layer of Celluloid may be applied 4in a plastic con'- dition and allowedto harden to an extent to be handled with safety, and the fabric-layers may be applied separatelynif desired. The several layers may, however,V be otherwise applied within the scope of my invention,Y

and it is desirable that all of said layers should be loosely arranged. The ball thus assembled I inclose in a mold a, consisting of two parts aand a",having a pairof hemispherical depressions b', which together form a spherical cavity or chamber b. The mold is also provided above the spherical chamber with a cylindrical bore c, formed by opposing recesses c', one in each of the halves of the mold, and in said bore works a piston e. In

Upon said'V a hole -clfwhich is formed byrecesses d in the halves of the mold, is inserted a funnel f,

having a iiange f. The half d'5 of the mold is provided with a transverse perforation g, screw-threaded at h to receive a threaded plug j. The mold-halves may be provided with dowels k.

Vhen the'ball is placed in the mold, the funnel enters through the perforation 2 and communicates with thev cavity 4 of the rubber shell. In the bore ois placed a suitable quantity of gutta-percha', which is rendered iiuent by heat. By the piston e said gutta-percha is forced into'the interior of theball, as at vents 2 and g, whereuponthe plugj may be inserted, as at Fig. 6, and the piston forced farther down to cause the gutta-percha to expand the rubber .audits several enveloping llayers to the limits of the mold or chamber. A Vent 7 may be provided for the escapement of air from the chamber. VThe rubber shell is materially increased in diameter and put into a state of tension, while the fabric and Celluloid shells being rendered plastic by the heat are caused to conform to the shape of the chamber, whichv preferably is provided with pits illustrated, so as to form brambles or otherwise emboss the shell. The pressure is maintained upon the pistons e until the entire ball cools and hardens. The perforations 2 2 may be filled 'by a plug 8.

scope of my present improvements.

Having described my invention, I claiml. Aplaying-ball comprising a shell compounded of fibrous material' and Celluloid, said shell being distendedby a mobile mass ofl solid material injected thereinto.

. 2. yIn a playing-ball, a nspherical shell consisting at least partially `of fabric and celluloid and distended by plastic material injected thereinto.

8. In a playing-ball, a shell formed of a plurality of layers of celluloid and an intervening fabric layer; said shell being distended by a core of gutta-percha injected thereinto.

4. In a playing-balha shell having a plurality of layers of fabric anda plurality of layers of Celluloid, and distended by a core of guita-percha injected thereinto.

Fig. 4, the displaced air escaping through the Variations may be resorted to within the IOO 5. In a playing-ball, a shell formed of aplurality of layers of fabric compounded with plastic material and distended by a core of plastic material injected thereinto.

6. In a playing ball, an embossed shell formed of fabric and Celluloid and distended by a gutta-percha core injected thereinto; and a plug filling the injection-hole in the shell.

'7. A playing-ball comprising an embossed shell of plastic material and fabric, said shell being distended by a core of plastic material injected thereinto.

S. A playing-ball comprising a shell of fabric and cellu1oid,said shell being distended by a mobile mass of solid matter injected thereinto; and a layer of soft rubber intervening between said shell and said injected material.

9. Inaplayingball,asphercalshellconsisting at least partially of fibrous material and celluloid and distended by plastic material injected thereinto; and a layer of tensioned soft rubber intervening between said shell and said injected material.

l0. In a playing-ball, a shell formed of layers of Celluloid and layers of fabric; said shell being distended bya core of gutta-percha injected thereinto; and a layer of soft rubber intervening between said shell and said injected material.

1l. In a playing-ball, a shell having a plurality of layers of fabric compounded with celluloid, and distended by a core of guttapercha injected thereinto and a layer of tensioned soft rubber intervening between said shell and said injected material.

12. In a playing-ball, a shell formed of a plurality of layers of plastic material and fabric, and distended bya core of plastic material injected thereinto; and a layer of soft rubber intervening between said shell and said injected material.

13. In a playing-ball, a shell distended by a mass of mobile material injected thereinto; said shell comprising layers of fabric and layers of fibrous material; and a layer of tensioned soft rubber intervening between said shell and said injected material.

FRANCIS 1I. RICHARDS.

lVitnesses:

B. C. STICKNEY, J oHN O. SEIFERT. 

